A virtual airline (VA) is a dedicated hobby organization that uses flight simulation to model the operations of an airline. Virtual airlines generally have a presence on the internet, similar to a real airline. There are over 100 virtual airlines of significance currently active in the internet (supporting a number of flightsims), with thousands of participants involved at any one time each using different simulator platforms.
Purpose
Virtual airlines were started to give a sense of purpose to activities conducted within a flight simulator. This basic premise has evolved over time, along with available technology, to provide increasing levels of immersion but always with the same core purpose. When combined with increasingly powerful personal computers, advancing flight simulation software, and communications networks, virtual airlines are often able to provide compelling, realistic, experiences similar to operations inside a real airline. Virtual airlines also provide an avenue for members to gain access to additional content, such as aircraft and scenery, for use with their simulator. The appeal varies; for younger members, virtual airlines provide a sandbox environment where they can experience the corporate environment of commercial business in the airline industry, without the risk of financial loss. These organizations also provide an outlet for those who are interested in aviation but unable to fly themselves in real life due to financial, health, or other reasons.
Most of all, its one step closer to enthusiasts feeling more involved in an airline environment and share their interests with others.
Virtual Airlines also benefit the flight simulator community by providing valuable services such as ATC, events, and general help and knowledge.
Common elements
There are several elements that are common across many virtual airlines:
- A website as the focal point of the community
- Internet forum where discussion and social interaction can occur
- Customized livery that users can download together with aircraft and install in their flight simulator
- Route schedules for members to fly in their simulators
- Multiplayer events, often on a game network such as VATSIM or IVAO
- Less common elements include:
- An Online database for recording and reporting flights and membership statistics
- Dedicated game server hosting to provide private areas for members to complete flights
- Award, rank and recognition systems
- Voice over Internet Protocol servers for members to communicate freely by voice
Virtual airlines
Air Europe Virtual |
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| | Main hub |
EDDK |
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| Established |
May 2013 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
We are looking for pilots |
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| History |
We opened this airline in May 2013 on the 8th. We fly in Europe and the USA. |
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| Hubs | |
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| Fleet |
A300
A320-family (A318, A319, A320, A321)
737
A340-600
777-200ER
777-300ER |
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| Callsign format |
AEVxxx |
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| Website | |
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| Forum | |
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Binter Canarias Virtual |
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| Main hub |
GCLP |
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| Established |
2016 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
We are looking for pilots |
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| History |
We serve flights in the Canadian Archipelago, Cap Verde, Azores, and Western Africa, as well as Madeira and Europe Capitals |
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| Fleet | |
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| Callsign format |
IBBxxxx |
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| Forum | |
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Century Airlines |
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| | Main hub |
SKBO |
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| Established |
March 2012 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active |
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| History |
Century Airlines was born on March 25, 2012 from an idea to change the system used by the virtual airlines in FlightGear and allow virtual pilots to have more freedom when flying. The airline began with a diffusion through FG community forums (not official), then it began a gradual expansion of a new system for pilots and their way of flying in a virtual airline. On January 25, 2013 Century Airlines got more than 500 reported flights from its virtual pilots. |
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| Hubs | |
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| Fleet |
Airbus A330-243 (2)
Airbus A340-600 (2)
Airbus A321-231 (2)
Airbus A320-214 (5)
Airbus A319-111 (4)
Airbus A318-111 (4)
CRJ-700 (9)
787-8 (3)
747-8i (3)
777F (5)
777-200ER (5)
777-200LR (4)
CRJ-200 (1)
Citation X (1)
DHC8-Q300 (3) |
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| Has ATC |
FGCom, RaidCall, Mumble |
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| Callsign format |
CAxxxxx |
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| Website | |
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| Forum | |
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Charter Aviation |
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| Main hub |
EGLL |
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| Established |
November 2013 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active |
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| History |
Charter Aviation is a virtual charter service airline. Any aircraft, any route, anytime. Any aircraft you can sim, any route you want to take it, anytime you want to fly. We're the guys who get the aircraft where they need to be. |
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| Hubs |
- CYEG - Edmonton
- CYOW - Ottawa
- CYVR - Vancouver
- EDDB - Berlin
- EGLL - Heathrow
- EIDW - Dublin
- FAJS - Oliver Reginald Tambo
- KBOS - Boston Logan
- KSFO - San Francisco
- LFPO - Paris Orly
- LYBE - Belgrade Nikola Tesla
- PHNL - Honolulu
- RJAN - Niijima
- SBGR - Guarulhos Sao Paulo Brazil
- UUDD - Domodedovo Moscow
- YSSY - Sydney
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| Fleet |
Any and all aircraft |
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| Has ATC |
Only if you want |
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| Callsign format |
CHTxxxx |
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| Website | |
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Cosmo Airlines |
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| Main hub |
KCVG |
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| Established |
December 29, 2014 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active |
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| Hubs |
- Cincinnati (CVG)
- Hartford (BDL)
- San Jose (SJC)
- San Diego (SAN)
- Pittsburgh (PIT)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Raleigh/Durham (RDU)
- Frankfurt (FRA)
- Paris (CDG)
- Madrid (MAD)
- Shanghai (PVG)
- Hong Kong (HKG)
- Cape Verde (SID)
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| Fleet |
B1900D
CRJ-300
CRJ-500
CRJ-700
CRJ-900
CRJ-1000
CSeries-100
CSeries-300
Boeing 717-200
Boeing 737-7 MAX
Boeing 737-8 MAX
Boeing 737-9 MAX
Boeing 747-8i
Boeing 777-200LR
Boeing 777-8
Boeing 777-9
Boeing 787-8
Boeing 787-9
Boeing 787-10 |
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| Callsign format |
OHxxxx |
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| Website | |
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CSJAIR |
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| Main hub |
RKSI |
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| Established |
3, October, 2014 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
We need pilot |
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| History |
Airline in South Korea |
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| Hubs | |
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| Fleet |
A320NEO
777-300
777-300ER
777-300F
A330-343
747-8i |
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| Callsign format |
CSJxxx |
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| Website | |
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Voxy Virtual Airlines |
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| | Main hub |
UKKE |
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| Established |
Sep 2011 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active |
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| History |
Re-branded to Dravion Airlines and focused on regional flights in Ukraine (Aug 2014).
Re-branded again in to Voxy Airlines and it primarily serves as and flies under the name of other airlines it has contracted (sep 2018).
Voxy Airlines primarily paid to operate and maintain aircraft used on flights that are scheduled, marketed, and priced by a partner mainline. |
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| Fleet |
- Airbus A350-900XWB
- Airbus A300-600ST
- Tupolev Tu-134B
- Ilyushin Il-76MD
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| Callsign format |
VOXxxxx (x = number) |
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Worldwide Airlines |
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| Main hub |
KJFK |
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| Established |
May 2016 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
looking for pilots |
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| Hubs | |
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| Fleet |
737-700
737-800
737-900er
747-8i
757-300
767-300er
777-300ER
787-8
787-9
a220-300
a320-214
a330-200
a330-300
a350-900xwb
q400 |
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| Has ATC |
FGCom |
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| Callsign format |
WALxxxx/WAxxxx |
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| Website |
none |
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| Forum |
none |
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LATAMv (previously Brazuka Airlines) |
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| | Main hub |
SBBR - Presidente Juscelino Kubistschek International Airport (BSB) |
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| Established |
2017 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Shutdown in 2018 |
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| History |
The company was created by the brazilians RenanMsV and Fabricio G. in 2017. After one year it had 18 registered pilots. It was later shutdown in 2018. The first flight was at October 7 2017 from SBEG to SBBR. The last registered flight was at November 23 2018 from SBCG to SBBR. In total 315 flights have been done by their pilots. |
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| Hubs |
SBGR, SBGL, SBEG, Brazil, Chile, Portugal |
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| Callsign format |
LTM3001 to LTM3018 |
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| Website | |
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Swanair |
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| | Main hub |
ENVA, Trondheim Vaernes, Norway |
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| Established |
November 2013 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active |
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| History |
Swanair is a small virtual airline, mainly flying on Flightgear Flight-Simulator. It offers prestige flights all over the world. Singapore, New York, or much more ! Swanair operates all kind of aircraft, 777, A330, A320, 787, 747..., connects the whole globe and lavish its pilots. You always dreamt to sit in First class isn't it ? So, Join us ! It'll change the way you fly forever. |
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| Hubs | |
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| Fleet |
Beechcraft B1900D
Boeing 737-900ER
Boeing 747-8i
Boeing 772
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
Airbus A322
Airbus A320neo
Airbus A332
Airbus A333
Airbus A380 ! |
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| Callsign format |
SWNxxx |
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| Website | |
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Visayan Airways |
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| Main hub |
RPVM |
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| Established |
Janurary 2015 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Currently looking for pilots |
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| History |
A Virtual Airline from the Philippines, a new virtual airline in the Asian FlightGear skies |
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| Hubs | |
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| Fleet |
ATR 72-500
Airbus A320Neo
Boeing 717-200
Airbus A330-200
Boeing 747-8i |
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| Callsign format |
VIS**** |
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| Website | |
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| Forum | |
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World Jet Airlines |
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| Main hub |
EGKK |
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| Established |
January 2016 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active and Looking For Pilots |
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| History |
A worldwide virtual airlines where you can fly any destination, request ATC services, and fly in VA events. |
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| Hubs |
- EGKK
- EDDF
- EHAM
- KJFK
- KATL
- KLAX
- PHNL
- TNCM
- LKPR
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| Fleet |
MD-88
Cessna Citation X
Boeing 777
Airbus A330-200
Boeing 747-8i
Boeing 787-8
Concorde
Boeing 707 |
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| Callsign format |
WJTxxxx |
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| Website | |
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| Forum | |
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Worldwide Airways Virtual |
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| | Main hub |
KSFO |
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| Established |
September 2016 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active and Looking For Pilots |
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| History |
Worldwide Airways is an international Virtual Airline offering realistic, professional and exciting flights! Fly over the world, to a large selection of beautiful destinations; with modern aircraft and of course, fly online for more fun, and professionalism! |
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| Hubs |
LFPG; KSFO |
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| Fleet |
- Boeing 747-8i
- Boeing 757-200
- Boeing 777-300ER
- Airbus A318
- Airbus A320
- Airbus A330-303
- Airbus A340-313X
- Airbus A350-900XWB
- Airbus A380-800
- Concorde
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| Callsign format |
WWAxxxx |
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| Website | |
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QuébecAir |
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| | Main hub |
CYUL |
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| Established |
June 2017 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active |
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| History |
QuebecAir was actually founded in 1946 by the fusion of both Aviation du Golfe and Air Rimouski airlines. Due to financial trouble, it has been sold to Nordair-Metro and disappeared during the fusion with Canadian International, now owned by Air Canada. At Quebecair, our big difference is language. We operate in both french and english and we are proudly representing the biggest north-american french population: the Quebecers! |
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| Hubs | |
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| Fleet |
Airbus A330-243 (1)
Airbus A320-251Neo (2)
Airbus A321-231 (2)
Airbus A320-214 (2)
McDonnell Douglas MD-11
Bombardier CS100 (2)
Boeing B777-300ER (4) |
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| Has ATC |
FGCom, Mumble |
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| Callsign format |
QuébecAir |
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Virtual Airline alliances
Flight Unlimited |
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| Established |
2012 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active |
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| Website | |
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Virtual Star Alliance (VSA) |
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| Established |
April 26, 2009. |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Merged with Merlion |
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| Website | |
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Virtual Air Forces
The European Air Force |
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| | Main hub | |
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| Established |
June 2011 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active |
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| Fleet | |
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| Has ATC |
Has ATC |
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| Callsign format |
EAFxxx, LCG-XXX |
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| Website | |
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| Forum |
On our group. |
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Global Amity Virtual Airforce |
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| Established |
April 2015 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Currently Active |
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| Fleet |
- We do not restrict what aircraft you can fly with us.
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| Website | |
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| Forum | |
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Helldiver Squadron Offensive Tactical Force |
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| Main hub |
Düsseldorf Mönchengladbach Airport (EDLN) |
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| Established |
January 2013 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Active |
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| Fleet | |
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| Has ATC |
Has ATC |
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| Callsign format | |
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| Website | |
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| Forum |
In Development, Visit Our Site |
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International Air Force |
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| Established |
Comming soon |
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Airline details |
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| Has ATC |
Yes, Provided by fgvao |
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| Callsign format |
(any ideas i have none) |
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Operation Red Flag (OPRF) |
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| | Main Base | |
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| Established |
November 21st, 2015 |
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Airforce details |
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| Status |
Active |
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| History |
Founded as KSUU Crew over friendly dogfights in the F-14B over the skies of Travis Air Force Base, OPRF slowly took over training and patrol duties in the south-western United States on behalf of the USAF. OPRF has fought all over the world gaining prestige and recognition, from the Alps to the Himalayas, from North Korea to Georgia to Alaska, in an ever-expanding fleet of fighters and support aircraft. Member pilots get to learn the knowledge, skills and tactics that define the fighter pilot and are engaged in monthly major events and regular training. |
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| Niche |
Paramilitary |
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| Bases | |
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| Fleet |
Fighters:
- F-14A/B
- F-15C/D
- F-16 (all versions)
- M2000-5
- Saab 37 Viggen (all versions)
- MiG-21-bis
Attack/Bombers:
Tankers/Transport/Spec Ops:
- KC-137R and variants
- KC-10A
- A330 MRTT variants (Voyager KC2/KC3, KC-30A)
- C-130J
- SR-71 and variants
- MQ-9 (all versions)
Helicopters:
- CH-53E
- SH-60J and UH-60J
- UH-1 and variants
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| Has ATC |
No |
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| Callsign format |
{Your callsign}; OPFORxx; ORFxxxx |
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| Website | |
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| Forum | |
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| FG Forum Thread | |
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Team Militare "36° Stormo virtuale" |
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| Main hub | |
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| Established |
September 2012 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Currently Inactive |
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| Hubs |
LIBN, LICZ, LIRA, LIPS, LIPI. |
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| Fleet |
- Panavia Tornado
- F-16/F-16CJ
- Mirage 2000
- EF2000/Eurofighter Typhoon
- F-14B
- AC-130
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| Has ATC |
No. |
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| Callsign format |
{Your callsign}, FGIT-xx |
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| Website | |
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| Forum |
On our group. |
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Ukrainian Virtual Air Force (7TH SQD) |
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| | Main hub |
UKKK |
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| Established |
September 2014 |
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Airline details |
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| Status |
Operational |
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| Callsign format |
UVAF |
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| Website |
Coming Soon |
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